Apple Cuts Orders of iPhone 5 Parts to Prepare for iPhone 6 Launch?

Though Apple hasn’t been updating its global iPhone 5 sales numbers for some time now, a report on the Wall Street Journal is speculating that demand for the flagship iOS smartphone may be weaker than expected. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the publication says that Apple has reduced orders for iPhone parts. In particular, orders for the iPhone 5’s longer Retina Display has been cut by half, according to a source, and that reduction in parts orders from Apple extends beyond displays to other iPhone components for the first quarter of this year.

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A reduction in parts orders may not necessarily indicate weakened demand for the smartphone, which has received a major overhaul from the design of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. This could mean that Apple has secured enough components to last through the period and that the company may now be preparing for a successor product.

Most recently, Apple has been rumored to be working on numerous colors and varying screen sizes for the launch of the iPhone 6. Those rumors are unconfirmed and should still be taken with a grain of salt until we know more information.

Though Apple’s iPhone has initially enjoyed success in revolutionizing the smartphone market when it first debuted, the iPhone and iOS platform now has increased competition from rival platforms and ecosystems, such as Google’s Android, Microsoft’s Windows Phone, and soon RIM’s BlackBerry 10. Apple’s rivals have launched a few smartphones at CES and we should see even more iPhone challengers coming next month to Mobile World Congress. Additionally, at the end of this month, Research in Motion’s BlackBerry 10 smartphones will debut.

A new iPhone may not launch until this summer at the earliest or even not until fall. In the past, Apple has used the summer season to make available its flagship smartphone, but with the launch of the iPhone 5, Apple has switched to the fall season to debut that smartphone.

6 Responses

The “iPad4” was quietly released only seven months after the “iPad3” (I put both in quotes because both were called “the new iPad” when they were released.

Apple has more competition than before in both smartphones and tabletrs and has more pressure to have a stepped-up new release for the iPhone, as with the iPad. Twice a year is something they can handle without cutting into the perceived specialness of their devices.

You all are idiots! especially Frankie! why do you and all other idiots who know nothing about technology insist that phones should have bigger and bigger screens? 4.5″, 5″, 6″. I like to have a phone screen I can use but I do not want to end up with a phone the size of a roof tile. If you want a bigger screen then get a tablet! Phones should not REPEAT SHOULD NOT HAVE SCREENS SO BIG. I HAVE SEEN SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 PHONES AND THEY ARE TOO BIG. STUPID. I had a samsung and it was crap. it kept crashing, was not updated ever! apps were crap, poorly coded, not supported, not updated, too expensive…the list goes on and on and no I am not an Apple fan…I just go where the tech takes me and right now Apple make the best tech…PERIOD! tech is not all about specs people, it’s about how you use it and having features you use and will use in the real world…I mean Samsung Galaxy s4 has the feature whereby you can have the screen turn off or on depending on if you look at it or not. How useful is that really?? Answer…not!! It does not save enough batter life to make it worthwhile and is only useful for really lazy people.